Flushing toilet apparatus

ABSTRACT

A battery of flush toilets, in which each is provided with separately operable means for admitting thereinto a limited flow of water from the washing chamber of a horizontally disposed water tank. Each toilet has a discharge pipe opening into a generally horizontal drain passage beneath said tank. A drain chamber at one end of the tank communicates through a restricted passage with the wash chamber to receive water from the latter and is provided with normally inactive siphon means operable when active to discharge water from the drainage chamber by gravity into the drain passage, there being means operative in response to repeated fluctuations in the water level of the wash tank for activating the siphon means to discharge its contents into the drain passage to flush out the latter.

United States Patent [451 Mar. 21, 1972 Ueda [54] FLUSHING TOILET APPARATUS [72] Inventor: Shoken Ueda, Kanagawa-ken, Japan [73] Assignee: The Toyotoki Co., Limited, Fukuoka-ken,

Japan [22] Filed: Apr. 2, 1970 [21] Appl. No.1 25,085

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 10, 1969 Japan ..44/35985 [52] U.S.Cl ..4/11 [51] Int. Cl. ..E03d 1/22, E03d 3/00 [58] FieldoiSearch ..4/11,91,1l7,118

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 954,065 4/1910 Wackerle ..4/l1 X 668,853 2/1901 Galling ..4/ll X Primary Examiner-Henry K. Artis Attorney-Watson, Cole, Grindle & Watson 57] ABSTRACT A battery of flush toilets, in which each is provided with separately operable means for admitting thereinto a limited flow of water from the washing chamber of a horizontally disposed water tank. Each toilet has a discharge pipe opening into a generally horizontal drain passage beneath said tank. A drain chamber at one end of the tank communicates through a restricted passage with the wash chamber to receive water from the latter and is provided with normally inactive siphon means operable when active to discharge water from the drainage chamber by gravity into the drain passage, there being means operative in response to repeated fluctuations in the water level of the wash tank for activating the siphon means to discharge its contents into the drain passage to flush out the latter.

3 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMARZ] I972 SHEET 1 [IF 5 M 4/4/23 ATTORNEY BY law M PATENTEDMAR21 m2 SHEET 3 [1F 5 M jw/mw ATTORNEY PATENTEDMARZI I972 SHEET [1F 5 mvmoa BY M max 44 jaw ,w/azzn ATTORNEY PATENIEUMARm I972 SHEET 5 OF 5 INVENTOR v 7 Mu ATTORNEY FLUSHING TOILET APPARATUS The present invention relates to an improved flushing toilet apparatus in which a drainage passage is disposed beneath a water tank having capacity to flush a plurality of toilets at or about the same time. The inside of the water tank is divided into a washing chamber and a draining chamber, the washing chamber being provided with a single water supply apparatus adapted to fill the washing chamber rapidly and in accordance with the frequency of its use. All of the flush toilets are arranged to receive water for flushing from the single washing chamber of the water tank and communicate also with the drainage passage and are respectively equipped with washing apparatus in the form of flush valve means for flushing the toilet bowls into the drainage passage. With conventional flushing toilet apparatus, each toilet has its individual water tank so that the water tank is exhausted on every usage and takes a certain time to be filled again with water. It has been difficult, therefore, to use the apparatus continuously, and after a usage, the tank has been unable to be filled rapidly.

Furthermore,some of conventional water tanks have been equipped with flushing apparatus which has been automatically actuated at predetermined intervals of time regardless of the frequence of use of the toilets, so that the draining or flushing operation occurs even during periods of nonuse of the toilets and is therefore quite wasteful of water.

To overcome the drawbacks as above mentioned, the present invention proposes a battery of flushing toilets associated with a single water supply apparatus capable of supplying water for flushing all of the flushed toilets even though all are used simultaneously and/or continuously, and furthera single draining apparatus, according to the frequency in use, automatically and intermittently flushes away solid waste material through the drainage passage intb the main drainage pipe.

The accompanying drawings show preferred embodiments of sanitary apparatus in accordance with the invention in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation, partially in section of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view partially in section of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the line X-X of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional side-view taken along the line Y-Y of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5 to 10, inclusive, are fragmentary enlarged sectional side views showing the apparatus of the invention in various operational stages.

Now referring to the annexed drawing which illustrates an embodiment of this invention, a water tank A is formed as a box or a cylinder, the inside of which is divided by a partition into a washing chamber 1: and a draining chamber y.

The washing chamber x may be divided by the partition 1 so that the chamber has enough capacity to flush completely all toilets even though used simultaneously or continuously. The

' washing chamber x is equipped with a single water supply apparatus C communicating with a water supply pipe 2 of a size to supply water rapidly through the pipe according to the frequency of use and as rapidly to fill the washing chamber x. The bottom of the chamber is provided with a plurality of openings 3 communicating with the bowls of the respective toilets E. A plurality of washing apparatus or flush valves D which control the opening and closing of said openings 3, are mounted in the washing chamber x and each includes an operating pipe 15 guided for vertical movement to unseat its valved lower end from one of the openings 3 to discharge water from the washing chamber x into the bowl of an associated toilet E.

An inverted U-shaped pipe 4 is provided to effect intermittent drainage of the draining chamber y in accordance with the frequency as well as the amount of lowering of water level in the washing chamber x, and an inverted cup 5 is mounted on one end of said pipe 4 in the washing chamber x.

The draining chamber y in the water tank A is separated from the washing chamber x by partition I which is provided at the lower part thereof with a small hole 6 to maintain communication between the washing chamber x and the drainage chamber y.

Said partition 1 is arranged so that water overflowing the washing chamber x flows over the upper edge of the partition into the draining chamber y.

The bottom of the draining chamber y is provided with a hole 7 through which extends a discharge end of a siphon pipe 8 of the draining apparatus F. Discharge of the water from the drainage chamber y into the drainage passage B occurs intermittently according to the frequency of use of the several toilets E to flush any sewage solids derived from the toilets from the floor of drainage passage B and into the main drainage G.

The water tank A of such an arrangement has the drainage either as an integral or a separate component along the bottom thereof and associated with a plurality of toilets properly spaced from each other so as to communicate with the washing pipe 20 of the water tank A and to communicate through separate discharge or drain pipes 21 with the drainage passage B.

The capacity of the water tank A is determined in accordance with the following formulas for calculation of the simultaneous water supply probability where n equals the number of toilets, to have the minimum limit capacity to flush the respective toilets.

Where, with a single water tank A and water supply apparatus C, respectively, the letter n is the number of toilets E each with its washing apparatus D, the water supplying capacity is in accordance with the probability below defined for simultaneous water supply. 1.P;'= 1-P Pf= The probability with which water is supplied to optional r sets among total n sets of apparatus or equipment.

P The probability with which water is supplied to specified numbers of apparatus and equipment.

t (time required for one water supply) T (average time interval in continuous use) 2. The number of sets to which water is simultaneously supply is assumed the smallest integerm satisfying the following for mula.

Pg+Pf+Pg+ 1 ,129.99 Under the assumption of P=( lO/ I00) 0.1

ln case n= 10 In case n= 9 II, 2 P '=0.991668 m=3 r=0 In case n 8 3v 2 P: 0.994975 m= 3 drainage B is formed to be inclined slightly downward from at right-hand end, as seen in FIG. 1 toward the main drainage pipe G for easily discharging the sewage.

The water supply apparatus C is disposed to direct the water, which, when the water tank A is filled up while supplying water, overflows from the upper edge of the box frame fitted on the upper part of the washing chamber x of the water tank A, into said frame from over the upper edge of the box frame 10.

The bottom of said frame 10 is provided a valve hole 11 having a check valve 12 preventing water from flowing backward into the box frame 10 so that, during water supplying, no water flows back into said box frame 10. The buoy 14, which is hung from the arm 13 swingably mounted on the water pipe (2) so that, when the washing chamber x of the water tank A is filled up with water to overflow rapidly into.

box frame 10, the buoy 14 promptly moves upwardly to close the water valve to abruptly terminate the flow from the water pipe 2. And with the vertical lifting of an operating pipe 15 of the washing apparatus D, water in the water tank A begins to be drained from the opening 3 as the water level is lowered. This causes the check valve 12 to open, while at the same time water in the box frame 10 also isdrained, causing movement of the buoy l4 downwardly, and thus opening the water valve 14 and initiating supply of water from the water pipe 2.

A plurality of operating pipes 15 are vertically and movably disposed in the washing chamber.

The upper end of each pipe is provided with a handle 17 having an air hole 16 communicating with the operating pipe and projecting from the washing chamber x.

The lower end of each operating pipe is provided with a floating valve 18 formed as a hollow body for cooperation with a valve seat 19 so as to open or close a discharge opening 3 located in the bottom of the washing chamber a and to discharge water from the washing chamber through the pipe 20 into the bowl of its associated toilet E and thence into the drainage passage B.

Upon manually lifting the handle 17, the operating pipe 15 is raised and a floating valve 18 is unseated from the valve seat 19, to discharge water from the washing chamber x of the water tank A into the bowl of the toilet E.

At this point water flows into the floating valve 18.

After a certain amount of water is drained away, the floating valve 18 is seated by water flowing into it and also by its own weight, so that the operating pipe 15 which projects above the surface of water in the tank A begins to descend until the floating valve again engages the valve seat 19, closing the opening 3 and permitting water from within the floating valve 18 also to discharge through opening 3 into the bowl of the toilet E.

Thus, the washing chamber x of the water tank A is closed after a certain amount of water is drained for a certain time till the operating pipe 15 descends to cause the floating valve 18 to tough the valve seat 19, controlling the drainingautomatically, washing the stool E, and discharging the dirt into the drainage (B).

The stools E are molded from plastic or ceramic and properly spaced along the side wall of the water tank A.

The upper part of each stool communicates through the washing pipe 20 with the opening 3 provided in the washing chamber 2: of the water tank A or directly communicates at a water inlet thereof with said opening 3.

Then the dirt discharging pipe 21 which is equipped to the bottom of the stool E communicates with the side wall of the drainage B, and through the dirt discharging pipe 21 the dirt in the stool E is discharged from the washing chamber x of the water tank A into the drainage B by draining water power.

Each of the stools E is isolated by a partition strip or a partition wall provided between the stool E and the associated pipe 21. Therefore, only the stool E is divided by the partition strip or like and the individual stool E is equipped in a small room. The water tank A is linkingly formed in one part of the rear wall.

In the draining apparatus, a siphon pipe 8 within the drainage chamber y communicates with the reverse U-shaped pipe 4 having an inverted bowl 5 connected thereto within the washing chamber x.

The siphon pipe 8 has an end 25 communicating with the drainage passage B and another end opening into the draining chamber y just above the bottom of chamber y.

A N-shaped small pipe 22 having a water suction hole 23 is disposed along said siphon pipe 8 with its curved upper end being slightly lower than lower edge of upper curved portion of said siphon pipe 8 in a manner that siphon action of said small pipe 22 may take place momentarily earlier than that of said siphon pipe 8. The upper end of said small pipe opens to immediately above an inlet 24 so as to suck the air within top portion of said siphon pipe 8 and to discharge water coming from said inlet 24 over the curved upper-inner edge down to the curved bottom portion.

The U-shaped small pipe 22 has a water suction hole 23 on a middle lower end edge thereof from which water remaining in the siphon pipe 8 is sucked and another end extending into the outlet 25 through which remaining water is partially introduced to the spouting hole 7, while the rest of said remaining water is drained after overflowing the lower end edge of the upper curved portion of the siphon pipe 8.

The reverse U-shaped pipe 4 is mounted just above the inlet 24 in communicating relation.

The reverse U-shaped pipe 4 has an end communicating with top of the siphon pipe 8 at the side of the inlet 24 and another end on which the inverted bowl 5 in communicating relation.

Said bowl 5' is inserted into water within the washing chamber (x) so as to form an air chamber 26. Now the operation of the draining apparatus (F) adapted to drain according to the frequence of use will be described below.

Assume that the draining apparatus is set in such a manner that difference between water level in the air chamber 26 enclosed by the bowl 5 and that in the washing chamber a is a difference between level of after flowed in the inlet in the siphon pipe 8 and that in the draining chamber 2 is 1),, difference of levels of the pool of water in the curved bottom of the siphon pipe 8 is 0,, and a relation a b c is established. In this case, a ballance is kept as a," P (See FIG. 5). When the washing apparatus D is operated, the water in the washing chamber at of the water tank A begins to be drained through the opening 3 and, as a result, the water level in said washing chamber x descends as@ At this time, through the small hole 6 a small amount of water in the draining chamber y flows into the washing chamber x, but this amount is so negligeable that the water level in the draining chamber y scarcely descends although the water level in the washing chamber descends, and, therefore, the relation is established as a, P,.

As water level in the washing chamber x descends, air in the air chamber 26 escapes resulting in P a and b P so that water flows into the siphon pipe and also into the N- shaped small pipe through the suction hole 23 (See FIG. 6. And keeping the relation of b 0 water which flows in raises the water level of and ,while the washing chamber x is supplied with water by the water supply apparatus C to re- ?store the water level (See FIG. 7). By repeating this process, the water level of rises to the water level to create automatically the siphoning, also the N-shaped small pipe 22 sucks water through the suction hole 23 to rise up the same water level as that of and before the water level @of the siphon pipe 8 rises beyond lower edge of the upper curved portion of the siphon pipe 8, namely, before the siphoning flow occurs in the siphon pipe 8, the water in the N-shaped small pipe 22 flows down over its curved upper edge to the spouting hole 7 causing the siphoning flow in the N-shaped small pipe 22, since the incline upper rriarginal edge o f the ?N-shaped small pipe 22 is lower than the lower marginal edge of the upper inclined part of the siphon pipe 8. Thus, filler is dr ineithrough N-shaped small pipe 22, the air under pressure between the water level and which has had no room to escape into till this time, passes to the spouting hole 7 through N-shaped small pipe 22 (See FIG. 8) establishing the relation of B4 P4'. Now the water in the draining chamber (y) rapidly flows into the siphon pipe 8, raising the water level to reach the lower edge of the upper curved portion of siphon pipe 8, and then flows out beyond the lower edge of the upper curved portion to cause the siphon pipe 6 siphoning, flowing through the siphon pipe 8, being discharged from the spouting hole 7, flowing into the drainage b, and joining therein with water having flowed from the washing chamber x. When water the draining chamber y is discharged water level Q of the draining chamber y descends to the inlet Z l of the siphon pipe 8, the pipe sucks air to stop siphoning, and sub-j sequently water in the washing chamber 1: flows into the; draining chamber y through the small holes 6, recovering the s tate shown in FIG. 5. 1

By repeating this process and automatically operating water in the draining chamber y in association with the frequency of use of washing water, water in the draining chamber B is discharged.

According to the present invention with an arrangement as above mentioned, if r sets of stool are used in a time and the communicating openings 3 are opened by upward movement of the handles 1 of the washing apparatus, water in the water tank A reaches each stool E through the washing pipe 20 to discharge the sewage in the stool E into the drain B as shown ni9. .7 W,

Operation of the washing apparatus D lowers the water level of the water tank A, opening the check valve 12 and the box frame is drained to form a hollow space while the buoy l4 floating in said box frame 10 slides downward, opening the supply valve of the water supplying apparatus C so as to begin to supply rapidly into the water tank A.

Also due to difference of the pressure between inside and outside of the bowl 5 developed by operation of the washing apparatus D, air in the siphon pipe 8 escapes out from said bowl 5 to raise the water level in said siphon pipe 8 slightly and thereby establishes a state substantially ready for draining.

The handle 17 of the washing apparatus D once pulled up is lowered by the self-weight of water having flowed in the floating valve 18 to close the valve seat 19, and filling the washing chamber x of the water tank A. When the water tank A is completely filled, water supply valve is closed and the water level in the siphon pipe 8 which already has reached nearer the state to cause the siphon pipe 8 to act rises again by operation of the washing apparatus D, effecting the siphoning, and draining begins out from the edge of the siphon pipe 8. Thus, the dirt remaining is discharged intothe drainage B.

Therefore, many toilets are able to be used and drained in a time or continuously, and depending on the descent rate of the water level of the tank A, the spouting flow of the siphon pipe is effected to spout intermittently whereby the solid waste in the drainage is completely discharged into the main drainage pipe.

According to this invention as mentioned above, a drainage is disposed just under a water tank having the capacity to be able to discharge the dirt even when a plurality of toilets are used in a time or continuously. The inside of said water tank is divided into a washing chamber and a draining chamber, said washing chamber being provided with a. single water supply apparatus adapted to fill said washing chamber rapidly according to the frequency of use. The plurality of toilets are arranged with proper spacing in said washing chamber of the water tank so as to communicate also with the drainage and para tu s adapted to spout intermittently to the drainage according to the frequency of use is provided in said draining chamber.

The present invention provides, therefore, the advantages that a single water tank is provided with 11 sets of stool which, in turn, may be divided by partitions into small private compartments instead of installing the toilets and water tanks separately as 1n conventional arrangements, a plurality of compartments can be economically installed and draining can be effectively carried out even when a plurality of toilets are used either simultaneously or continuously. Also sewage is intermittently washed away, discharging sewage into the main drainage pipe with a very sanitary and practical effect.

What is claimed is:

l. A flushing toilet apparatus comprising a generally elongated horizontal water tank having 'separate washing and draining chambers therein, means defining a restricted passage for delivering water by gravity from said washing chamber into said draining chamber, means defining a generally horizontal drain passage beneath said tank, a battery of flush toilets adjacent said tank, selectively operable means for admitting a limited flow of water from said washing 'chamber into each said toilet, each said toilet having a discharge pipe opening into said drain passage, normally inactive siphon means in said draining chamber operable when active to discharge the water from said draining chamber into said drain passage to flush solid waste from the toilets therethrough, means operative in response to repeated fluctuations in the water level of said washing chamber for activating said siphon means, means for supplying water into said washing chamber, and water level responsive valve means associated with said water supplying means to deliver water into said washing tank when the water therein is below a predetermined level, and to discontinue the supply of water into said washing tank when said water reaches said predetermined level.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said valve means includes a float, said float being disposed for movement within a normally watertight receptacle, having an upwardly directed opening to admit water into said receptacle for buoyantly raising said float to close said valve means when the water reaches said predetermined level, said receptacle having a check valve dirt from the stools are provided therein, and draining apcontrolled opening in its bottom to permit escape only of water from said receptacle, whereby to maintain said valve means fully open until the water in said washing chamber reaches said predetermined level.

3. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said selectively operative means for admitting water from the washing compartment to each toilet comprises means defining an upwardly directed valve port in the bottom of said washing compartment and means establishing communication between said port and the associated toilet, a valve guided in said tank for vertical movement into and from seated relation over said port, said valve being hollow and buoyant and having a downwardly directed bleed opening through which water from the tank may enter into and escape from said float valve when the latter is raised from its seat, said valve seat normally surrounding and isolating the said opening so that water from the tank may enter into and escape from said float valve when the latter is raised from its seat, said valve seat normally surrounding and isolating the bleed opening from the water when the float valve is seated, said valve having an upwardly directed tubular valve stem establishing communication between the atmosphere and the interior of the valve, whereby to permit ready influx and discharge of atmospheric air, and means guiding said valve stem for vertical movement in alignment with said port. 

1. A flushing toilet apparatus comprising a generally elongated horizontal water tank having separate washing and draining chambers therein, means defining a restricted passage for delivering water by gravity from said washing chamber into said draining chamber, means defining a generally horizontal drain passage beneath said tank, a battery of flush toilets adjacent said tank, selectively operable means for admitting a limited flow of water from said washing chamber into each said toilet, each said toilet having a discharge pipe opening into said drain passage, normally inactive siphon means in said draining chamber operable when active to discharge the water from said draining chamber into said drain passage to flush solid waste from the toilets therethrough, means operative in response to repeated fluctuations in the water level of said washing chamber for activating said siphon means, means for supplying water into said washing chamber, and water level responsive valve means associated with said water supplying means to deliver water into said washing tank when the water therein is below a predetermined level, and to discontinue the supply of water into said washing tank when said water reaches said predetermined level.
 2. The combination of claim 1 in which said valve means includes a float, said float being disposed for movement within a normally watertight receptacle, having an upwardly directed opening to admit water into said receptacle for buoyantly raising said float to close said valve means when the water reaches said predetermined level, said receptacle having a check valve controlled opening in its bottom to permit escape only of water from said receptacle, whereby to maintain said valve means fully open until the water in said washing chamber reaches said predetermined level.
 3. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said selectively operative means for admitting water from the washing compartment to each toilet comprises means defining an upwardly directed valve port in the bottom of said washing compartment and means establishing communication between said port and the associated toilet, a valve guided in said tank for vertical movement into and from seated relation over said port, said valve being hollow and buoyant and having a downwardly direCted bleed opening through which water from the tank may enter into and escape from said float valve when the latter is raised from its seat, said valve seat normally surrounding and isolating the said opening so that water from the tank may enter into and escape from said float valve when the latter is raised from its seat, said valve seat normally surrounding and isolating the bleed opening from the water when the float valve is seated, said valve having an upwardly directed tubular valve stem establishing communication between the atmosphere and the interior of the valve, whereby to permit ready influx and discharge of atmospheric air, and means guiding said valve stem for vertical movement in alignment with said port. 